Tom Clancy's The Division

 PlayStation 4
User Score
7.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 2591 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,540 out of 2591
  2. Mixed: 513 out of 2591
  3. Negative: 538 out of 2591
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  1. solid-eye
    Mar 8, 2016
    7
    If you liked Destiny at launch, there's a strong chance you'll like this. Maybe even more...
    This game has stronger RPG mechanics than Destiny yet the environment is extremely bland and unappealing to me. I strongly recommend to play this game with your friends. With more content and dark zone refinements this game will easily get an 8 or above from me.
  2. ElephantJuice
    Mar 9, 2016
    7
    Don't buy this game yet, wait a year. Ubisoft have laid down a solid foundation for this game, but that's all it is.

    It looks beautiful, but it can often be repetitive and lack variety. The controls can sometimes feel clunky, but nothing that ruins the experience. It seems to be suffering from the teams own ambition, like Watch Dogs they made a lot of promises that they weren't able to    Don't buy this game yet, wait a year. Ubisoft have laid down a solid foundation for this game, but that's all it is.

    It looks beautiful, but it can often be repetitive and lack variety. The controls can sometimes feel clunky, but nothing that ruins the experience. It seems to be suffering from the teams own ambition, like Watch Dogs they made a lot of promises that they weren't able to fulfill. The world is vast but the content is limited.

    The Dark Zone (The games multiplayer area) can be fun, especially with friends, but I worry about the longevity. Whilst the campaign can be enough to draw someone in, the multiplayer is what will keep people loyal and still playing your MMO. Is the Dark Zone enough? Potentially, but it needs work.

    I wanted to avoid comparisons with Destiny, as they are two very different experiences. However, it shares similar upsetting disappointments, upon release, and doesn't meet expectations. Destiny, fortunately, had Bungie and Activisions experience of being able to build an amazing FPS, which kept people coming back.

    I really hope Ubisoft can work hard and make this game a success.    … Expand
  3. WildFire15
    Mar 8, 2016
    6
    The Division is a long way off a great game with so many strange design choices and faults, but it's still fun to aimlessly run around ruined New York with friends completing missions, even if the overarching purpose of the whole thing is somewhat nebulous.
  4. noirx04
    Mar 8, 2016
    5
    I honestly don't understand people giving this game 10/10.

    So far my experience: First communal area I have to reboot my game because the objective is to register on a laptop. Only problem 30 other gamers between me and the laptop and although i keep getting partial access not enough to progress the story. Not a great start. The games cover system feels clunky and unsmoothed in    I honestly don't understand people giving this game 10/10.

    So far my experience:

    First communal area I have to reboot my game because the objective is to register on a laptop. Only problem 30 other gamers between me and the laptop and although i keep getting partial access not enough to progress the story. Not a great start.

    The games cover system feels clunky and unsmoothed in fact a number of elements feel clunky. The menus can be incredibly difficult to read and this is on a 40 inch tv so must be terrible on standard tvs.

    Enemies tend to be complete bullet sponges and the environments are unengaging and just dull.

    All that being said it can be fun to play with a couple of friends but it won't keep you entertained in the long term.

    In a world where flamethrowers are available on every corner for ever npc but not for you. People can take repeated headshots and the solution to all of lifes problems is shoot some more people the division just doesnt live up to the hype. Certainly not worth full asking price.    … Expand
  5. Archeliux
    Mar 8, 2016
    5
    Ubisoft was my fav developer and publisher. I liked Far Cry 3 a lot. Hated AC Unity of many reasons. But it's getting worse, my opinion. I've, we've waited for 3 years long? Let's keep it simple.
    First of all: I like the setting of The Division. Originality? Nah. There are some Destiny elements in it. Some Watch Dogs things. Overall: I don't see myself and my group playing The Division in    Ubisoft was my fav developer and publisher. I liked Far Cry 3 a lot. Hated AC Unity of many reasons. But it's getting worse, my opinion. I've, we've waited for 3 years long? Let's keep it simple.
    First of all: I like the setting of The Division. Originality? Nah. There are some Destiny elements in it. Some Watch Dogs things. Overall: I don't see myself and my group playing The Division in about a year. Normally I don't write a review about a game. But we need to stop hyping up a game. Wait and have patience. And that last one will save your wallet. Thank you    … Expand
  6. EEKtheratbat
    Mar 20, 2017
    7
    The gameworld looks really good and was very promising until you realize that you're in a standard generic game created by Ubisoft. Stop using the copy/past button on all of your games and start making good games like Rainbow Six Siege etc. Yes it probably isn't the mayor blockbuster but the playerpopulation still went up eventually. Employ some descent creative people and fire some ofThe gameworld looks really good and was very promising until you realize that you're in a standard generic game created by Ubisoft. Stop using the copy/past button on all of your games and start making good games like Rainbow Six Siege etc. Yes it probably isn't the mayor blockbuster but the playerpopulation still went up eventually. Employ some descent creative people and fire some of the businessside because this is what happens when that side takes over a company.

    Farcry 1+2+3 great, after that generic and boring, same goes for watchdogs, Assassins creed ( 1+Ezio collection + Pirates great, the rest just bring ) etc. etc.    … Expand
  7. badgerryan19
    Jun 19, 2017
    5
    After years of waiting for this one we finally get to play it and unfortunately it disappoints. The story is almost non existent and the gunplay good is just really boring eventually. I feel like people who liked Destiny would like this.
  8. kugelblitz527
    Aug 30, 2016
    5
    I bought this game for roughly $45 about a month after it came out. I haven't played in a few months, so this is my review of when I last played the game in February/March.

    The overall feeling of the game is that it's a strong foundation for something really solid, but knowing Ubisoft, that won't happen. I'd compare this to Destiny at launch and even the months after. The visuals are    I bought this game for roughly $45 about a month after it came out. I haven't played in a few months, so this is my review of when I last played the game in February/March.

    The overall feeling of the game is that it's a strong foundation for something really solid, but knowing Ubisoft, that won't happen. I'd compare this to Destiny at launch and even the months after. The visuals are seriously solid for the current gen. The game looks great. The shooting and cover mechanics are simple, but smooth and appropriate for this game.

    However, there's not really anything to do. Sure, there are tons of side missions, but they're all just the same 3-4 grind missions you find in a typical RPG. None really have any soul to them that make the city feel like a living, breathing environment. The main missions and characters are pretty underwhelming. Nothing stands out about them. If you're looking for any explanation of what's going on in the plot, don't look for it. You'll be disappointed.

    The DZ is also broken, with higher level players stomping all over lower level players with near infinite health bars and impossibly overpowered weapons. Also, this is some of the worst character customization I've ever seen in a game that calls itself an RPG. It's not a huge deal, but the clothing options mostly feel the same.

    Overall, I don't think this game deserves the hate or praise it gets. It's a very average game overall with a lot of disappointment and broken promises, but still some fun to be had.    … Expand
  9. raccoondaddy
    May 20, 2017
    7
    Throughout my playthrough of the game, I've been hearing a LOT of references to the game, Destiny. Honestly, I've never played it so, I'm judging this on what I've experienced.

    Right away, the game visually grabbed me, with its very terrifying and realistic scenario of a biological catastrophe in New York City. This, to me looked as though there was a gripping narrative to be had    Throughout my playthrough of the game, I've been hearing a LOT of references to the game, Destiny. Honestly, I've never played it so, I'm judging this on what I've experienced.

    Right away, the game visually grabbed me, with its very terrifying and realistic scenario of a biological catastrophe in New York City. This, to me looked as though there was a gripping narrative to be had here. In some ways, there IS and then THERE ISN'T.

    What I was hoping for was that main campaign story, of struggle, survival and restoration of order, it wasn't even present. Instead, it's detached into collectibles that serve as tiny morsels and less of a main course potential for a great story. Sure, most of us have been through the dystopian song and dance far too much.

    But let's face it, these types of stories are their own sub-genre in fiction. (So you get what you ask for.) Honestly, I felt like I was headed to party hoping for a good spread of food, only to have a few horderves and no drink selection. Despite this, the story does convey the drama well using various methods of presentation, such as security cam footage and audio files that paint a clearer picture of what happens in the Big Apple, before and after the virus hits the streets.

    Looking deeper at what actually happens during the game as a result of how the city crumbles piece by piece from political structure to society at its heart, is a fascinating topic. Unfortunately, that required me to be dedicating hours upon hours tracking 500+ collectibles needed to give me the full picture. (Which I did not do, stopping at around 50% with that )

    Gameplay wise, it plays pretty smoothly and there are plenty of cool weapons, some gadgets and a variety of explosives to use on the gangs and rioters you encounter. It almost felt like it was developed very similar to the Mass Effect 3 multiplayer section. Damage is calculated through stats and that focus on 3 areas in order to make each player semi unique. It took a little bit to fully understand it, but once I did, there wasn't any problem getting used to managing my gear. Sure, a system has a ton of factors that make it look like a mess.
    What bothered me the most, was that there wasn't any manner as it which my player was affected by the virus. ESPECIALLY when entering contaminated areas! I know this is a game, tailored to a wide specturm of gamers. But COME ON, I doubt a mask and a well suited up soldier is going to protect you from infection. At least it woud've been nice to have it as a gameplay mechanic, as there wasn't any real challenge when entering those hot spots.
    Visually and musically, the game has its moments with that give a similar feel to John Carpenter's "Escape from New York". Overall the portrayal of the chaos and destruction was the high point of the game! Bodies and trash bags are strewn throughout the city more plentiful than the rats, which is explained due to the NYC sanitation leaving their actual "duties" to do other things and the CDC/Government being too overwhelmed with the body count.

    In the end, Division burns you out, as it's gameplay and loot system was VERY addictive, until it just got to be enough and decided to say, "screw it" and finish the campaign.

    DLC wise, the Division has a bit more to offer for the dedicated players. First, Underground adds to the single player and co-op, which seems enticing but will wait for a later date, when I feel like going back to it. But I'm sure it worth a look at if you're interested in more campaign content. Second is

    Survival, which I honestly couldn't even get an active game going through matchmaking, which really required me to get a group together and do it. That never happened for me, but maybe I'll get an update at a later time.

    Last is, Last Stand, which is the PROPER multiplayer experience for the Division, outside of "The Dark Zone" Which is essentially "Capture the Base", with Division's on twist on the game type. Personally, I probably regretted getting the Season Pass, despite it being on sale for $15, which is sad, really.

    Personally, the experience was enjoyable and kept me into the game. It presented itself pretty well as a dystopian fiction, overall. But truly lacked that narrative power and kept the gameplay in a safe, AAA title sort of way; vice doing some things that woud've made this a phenominal experience had they taken the chances.    … Expand
  10. Lordjosh286
    Mar 9, 2017
    5
    This game had so much promise but the early launch bumps eventually did it in for me. I played from Day 1 until the Underground DLC launch and by then the fatigue was there. No longer was this game fun but a grind. The games map can only be explored so many times before you eventually go back to the daily Dark Zone/Raid grind. The worse part is at times it feels like you can get the sameThis game had so much promise but the early launch bumps eventually did it in for me. I played from Day 1 until the Underground DLC launch and by then the fatigue was there. No longer was this game fun but a grind. The games map can only be explored so many times before you eventually go back to the daily Dark Zone/Raid grind. The worse part is at times it feels like you can get the same piece of equipment over and over again while in the beginning this was much better since breaking it down rewarded you for your constant grind but eventual nerfs ended up killing the little fun there was left in grinding to get what you want. I am going to come back later when the final DLC is released and I can see if I will enjoy this experience as I did my first time around or if it is Curtains for me when it comes to The Division. Buy when its on sale for $20… Expand
  11. MannWithNoEyes
    Oct 9, 2017
    5
    The most engaging and engrossing parts of the Division come from the trailer, and that, as well as the repetitive missions make this game the perfect example of Ubisoft games in the last few years. With a few notable exceptions, every mission plays out exactly the same as the previous one, due to of the reuse of bosses and lack of distinct locations, which is one of my main issues withThe most engaging and engrossing parts of the Division come from the trailer, and that, as well as the repetitive missions make this game the perfect example of Ubisoft games in the last few years. With a few notable exceptions, every mission plays out exactly the same as the previous one, due to of the reuse of bosses and lack of distinct locations, which is one of my main issues with this game. The Division doesn't do anything that feels new or unique or interesting. The best open-world games will put some sort of interesting twist on the usual formula, like in Horizon: Zero Dawn there was an excellent combat system for the dinosaurs. In Breath of the Wild there were a lot of creative interlocking mechanics that resulted in tons of moments that were very organic, not to mention being able to run straight to the end of the story mode added a sense of realism to an otherwise very whimsical world. The Witcher 3 added branching story mechanics that aren't often seen in open-world games, and as a result, the story itself felt very vast. The Division really doesn't try to do anything extremely ambitious, and as a result the game ends up suffering because it sometimes feels like it could be any other Ubisoft sandbox game. It plays out every trope that's been used in every other game and does those all acceptably well, but then forgets to add anything new. It has the base of a good game but fails to do anything more than the very basics, yet the base is still there, and despite its numerous shortcomings, the game at points does improve upon the usual formula. The overworld is extremely detailed and even if the rewards are very surface-level, it does feel much more exciting to explore than other games. Even some very old mechanics are improved here, for example the gun mechanics are simple, but add an element of strategy through the turrets the player can set up, and this really brings life to the more played out aspects of the game. Also, I've never played it, I've heard that playing with friends is good. This game is extremely recycled, but due to the small improvements it makes, I didn't end up thinking the game was a complete waste of time, more just a slight improvement on a genre that's been beaten to death by greedy corporations, so I'm going to give the Division a 5 out of 10.… Expand
  12. AziDahaka
    Nov 24, 2017
    7
    I got a real good time with the game, it was fun as hell, but only with the season pass, it you dont have it, it would suck, ubisoft wasted a good idea here
  13. Captiosus
    Mar 25, 2016
    6
    The Division, in its current state, legitimately needs two separate scores.

    On Leveling: Score - 8 Leveling in The Division is very enjoyable. Apocalyptic New York City has been lovingly crafted in fine detail and really sets the stage for the story. The story itself is simply OK - it's not the greatest but it's not bad either. The gunplay is well doneand the six weapon types all feel    The Division, in its current state, legitimately needs two separate scores.

    On Leveling: Score - 8
    Leveling in The Division is very enjoyable. Apocalyptic New York City has been lovingly crafted in fine detail and really sets the stage for the story. The story itself is simply OK - it's not the greatest but it's not bad either. The gunplay is well doneand the six weapon types all feel distinct and meaningful. There is a lot of fun to be had running around in a small group, switching roles based on talents. Even the Dark Zone (more on this in a moment) is a blast while leveling, as it's separated into level brackets to keep things even and (more or less) fair.

    There are problems that hold back the basic leveling side of the game. The side-missions and resource encounter missions are extremely repetitive and you will be doing the exact same things in each zone. Elite and veteran NPC mobs and bosses are bullet sponges. The game is riddled with texture bugs including falling through the world, guns that sometimes randomly float above or beside teammates, grenades that don't display an animation or make a sound, occasional invisible items that can lock you in place, and enemies that don't fully appear on screen until you're directly on top of them. Friendly AI is dumb as a box of rocks and never shuts up. Of course, the game ALSO suffers the Ubisoft Syndrome, which is to say the map is littered with hundreds of collectibles.

    On end-game: Score - 2
    Once you reach 30 and have gotten full superior-level gear (an easy feat to achieve), the wheels fall off the bus.

    If you want to progress in any meaningful fashion after max level, you need Phoenix Credits, Dark Zone credits and High-End crafting materials, including high-end Division Tech materials. The means to obtain these items are extremely limited and, as such, "end-game" is extremely barebones.

    The Dark Zone (DZ) is a set of PvEvP hybrid zones where players can kill enemy AI or engage in rogue PVP and kill other players. The first six zones are separated by DZ rank (from ranks 1 to 30) and the final two zones are for "high end" DZ rank (ranks 31-50+). It's an interesting concept in theory but in practice it's horrible.

    The loot the NPC mobs drop in the DZ simply is not all that rewarding until you get to the final two tiers. This means grinding 30 DZ levels just to get into the higher two tiers where you might have a better-than-zero chance of finding high-end gear. Likewise, the best crafted items from the DZ are gated behind DZ rank 50 blueprints. The DZ is just a zone to grind in, meandering around killing for DZ rank until you reach 50 when you can finally buy decent 'rewards'. The problem with this is that your progress can be completely stopped by rogue PVP agents because, when you are killed for ANY reason in the DZ, you *lose* experience, credits, and chest keys. You also lose any loot you've picked up but not yet extracted out of the DZ. I would be fine with this risk/reward scenario if the devs hadn't made recent changes to the game that reduces the penalty for going rogue, essentially promoting griefers and gankers. If you weren't DZ rank 50 before the most recent patch, good luck getting there.

    This isn't the only change they've made that makes DZ a pointless slog. They've nerfed the frequency of NPC bosses in the DZ and severely nerfed the amount of Phoenix Credits you can obtain from bosses. After this latest patch, although not listed in the notes, it has become rare to find high-end level division tech crafting materials, which are needed for ALL of the DZ blueprints.

    Put simply, the DZ is another a grindfest with extremely nerfed drop rates, except this grind also includes players who are given the green light to be jerks, making ranking up more annoying if not outright impossible.

    That leaves the end-game PVE dailies. With only four total challenge modes and two daily hard modes earning enough to buy weapons and blueprints from the vendors at the Base of Operations is atrocious. Bear in mind that challenge modes require a competent team with decent gear and can take anywhere from 30 mins. to 3+ hours depending on the mission. Unless you have the time and friends required to spend all day grinding challenge modes, progress will be painfully slow.

    After obtaining a few high-end items, I've already become tired of the grind. It is, IMO, arguably worse than vanilla Destiny at launch (and I'm certainly no Destiny fanboy, check out my scathing reviews for Destiny here). At least vanilla Destiny offered many more scaled up end game strikes, a split between PVE and PVP gear paths, dedicated PVP, an initial raid with raid gear, and public events. Back in 2014, I compared that to other pseudo-MMOs and called Destiny's offerings barebones. Sadly, The Division has set a new bar for barebones end-game. Given how enjoyable the 1-30 leveling path was, I'm deeply disappointed in the state of The Division's end game.

    All things considered: 6.0    … Expand
  14. TheeSpongeman
    Mar 26, 2016
    5
    This game is a perfect example of standard. It's not great, but it's not bad either. It's in the middle. And lately Ubisoft has been content with giving people just that. Low enemy variety with repetitive missions don't help either. These Pre-orders are just how Ubisoft is testing waters. If you enjoy what they give you now, they aren't going to work much on it later. Sometimes 'rare'This game is a perfect example of standard. It's not great, but it's not bad either. It's in the middle. And lately Ubisoft has been content with giving people just that. Low enemy variety with repetitive missions don't help either. These Pre-orders are just how Ubisoft is testing waters. If you enjoy what they give you now, they aren't going to work much on it later. Sometimes 'rare' equipment you spend alot of time to get just turn out to be clothing accessories like beanies and hats. I'd personally prefer that stuff to be stocked into micro-transactions since I don't care how my character looks, but I don't want to waste hours to find a new hat! (See Ubisofts other game, Rainbow Six Siege.)… Expand
  15. GamingPoptartTV
    Mar 25, 2016
    5
    If you liked Destiny's constant loot grind, in areas that you have so mundanely gone to over and over again. You will love Tom Clancy's The Division. You will be grinding for not only modern day guns like a Police M15 or a Classic Styled Ak47, but beanies oh so lovely beanies. So if that sounds like fun to you then my friend. The Division is all for you. Other then its painstakinglyIf you liked Destiny's constant loot grind, in areas that you have so mundanely gone to over and over again. You will love Tom Clancy's The Division. You will be grinding for not only modern day guns like a Police M15 or a Classic Styled Ak47, but beanies oh so lovely beanies. So if that sounds like fun to you then my friend. The Division is all for you. Other then its painstakingly average story and boring enemy selection. The Tom Clancy brand hurts this title more then it helps.… Expand
  16. starburns
    May 26, 2016
    6
    The division misses the mark on so many levels. Literally no story what-so-ever, in the beginning, you're introduced to the game by a kick-ass intro cut-scene, that makes you feel like you're going to be dropped into a world with enough story to at least keep you interested. Too bad that's all the actual story you get. A vague concept of gathering power, security, and medical supplies, toThe division misses the mark on so many levels. Literally no story what-so-ever, in the beginning, you're introduced to the game by a kick-ass intro cut-scene, that makes you feel like you're going to be dropped into a world with enough story to at least keep you interested. Too bad that's all the actual story you get. A vague concept of gathering power, security, and medical supplies, to upgrade your home base that somehow also increases your individual combat ability, giving you perks and various abilities. The combat is actually very fun. If you can look past the fact that it takes a ridiculous amount of bullets to the head to kill an average enemy and hundreds to kill a boss, the combat is interesting and fun, with a strong emphasis on staying behind cover and waiting for the right time to strike. Multiplayer can also be very fun. Grouping together with FRIENDS can lead to some very strategically entertaining battles that make you feel like a badass, but only if you partner with friends. Grouping with random players is only seemed to me, to make the game massively unenjoyable. Enemy difficulty is ramped up and health is drastically increased, and with random players, there is little to no cooperation and a lot of deaths. Getting to level 30 for me was not entirely a drag, I frequented the dark zone, which is fun in small bursts for me, but too much drove me insane. all in all the game is slightly above average, but not what I'd expect from a game I've been waiting for for 3 years… Expand
  17. dash199506
    Mar 17, 2016
    6
    This was one of the prettiest game to release on the PS4 so far and as it gets prettier, the game becomes more bland. The creators focused more on the looks rather than the game itself. Similar missions, lack of character exposure which doesn't live up to the hype.
    Pros:
    -Graphics -Gameplay machanics -Darkzone Cons: -Lack of variety in character customization -Similar mission    This was one of the prettiest game to release on the PS4 so far and as it gets prettier, the game becomes more bland. The creators focused more on the looks rather than the game itself. Similar missions, lack of character exposure which doesn't live up to the hype.
    Pros:
    -Graphics
    -Gameplay machanics
    -Darkzone

    Cons:

    -Lack of variety in character customization
    -Similar mission pattern
    -Bland story
    -Not enough depth given to the characters    … Expand
  18. UnOriginalMovie
    Mar 23, 2016
    5
    The Division is one of the new half MMO half shooter games akin to Destiny. The game is fun enough to play but has a very boring open world with many repetitive tasks to do. Destiny had this issue as well but what kept me invested in Destiny The Division lacks. Destiny had exceptional music and design throughout but The Division has boring music and boring art direction. Playing the gameThe Division is one of the new half MMO half shooter games akin to Destiny. The game is fun enough to play but has a very boring open world with many repetitive tasks to do. Destiny had this issue as well but what kept me invested in Destiny The Division lacks. Destiny had exceptional music and design throughout but The Division has boring music and boring art direction. Playing the game becomes boring quickly if you are not doing a main story quest or playing with your friends in the dark zone. The dark zone is the best part of the game but also its major downfall. The dark zone is really the only endgame activity and it gets boring very quick. Destiny had the raids which were designed well and kept you engaged throughout. The Division is fun to play but lacks the hooks to keep me playing.… Expand
  19. CHARLY0786
    Mar 11, 2016
    5
    The Division is one of the most beautiful and detailed games I have ever played, the combat is solid, but it becomes very, very repetitive and dull after a some hours.
    I would recommend to rent it first

    Graphics 8
    Art design 10
    Story 5
    Atmosfera 9
    Gunplay 7
    Fun factor 5
    Replay value 6
    Adictivness 2
  20. miaomlao
    May 24, 2016
    6
    is not bad... not that good too... enjoying with friends the first 2 weeks

    darkzone suck! (geared player > new player)

    always a new glitch/bug each patch lol
  21. leopoldo
    Mar 30, 2016
    6
    Tom Clancy's The Division was a game with a lot of expectations, but achieved little. The story had a lot of potential, however, it is very badly told, and became disappointing. The gameplay is simple, do not have anything different or innovative (has RPG elements). The missions are repetitive and after a long time playing becomes boring. The game is visually beautiful, it is true, howeverTom Clancy's The Division was a game with a lot of expectations, but achieved little. The story had a lot of potential, however, it is very badly told, and became disappointing. The gameplay is simple, do not have anything different or innovative (has RPG elements). The missions are repetitive and after a long time playing becomes boring. The game is visually beautiful, it is true, however there is a huge downgrade. The soundtrack is okay. Overall, The Division is a normal game, is not innovative, is not a remarkable game and neither is a game of the year, the multiplayer is what saves this game, The Division is a disappointment, to which may be the disappointment of the year, Ubisoft did not yield what it promised. 6/10… Expand
  22. Jimi360
    Mar 24, 2016
    6
    Far, far, FAR stronger than Destiny at launch. However, The Division suffers from a lot of the same problems that Destiny both originally suffered, and continued to suffer after the (much improved) Taken King DLC.

    Starting with positives, gun customization and mods give looting a huge dimension to expand upon. The third person shooting is completely solid, and the cover system will feel    Far, far, FAR stronger than Destiny at launch. However, The Division suffers from a lot of the same problems that Destiny both originally suffered, and continued to suffer after the (much improved) Taken King DLC.

    Starting with positives, gun customization and mods give looting a huge dimension to expand upon. The third person shooting is completely solid, and the cover system will feel very familiar to any Gears of War veterans. Perks and talents can be adapted to suit any style of play, rather than a black or white, pick this or pick this, kind of class system which is excellent. Not to mention, the world is absolutely gorgeous and, whether you love the game or not, you will spend hours invested in this broken New York City.

    Now for the negatives. Though the world is brilliant, the "story" involved in the game is fairly laughable. It might seem interesting at first, but if you can tell me one characters name by the end then I will be impressed. PvP is unbelievably punishing, and it makes me wonder why it wasn't just included in the regular game, as it would justify the 'always online' requirements as well as leave the Dark Zone open for ACTUAL PvP. Bosses are bullet sponges with absolutely no variety, and a thoroughly underwhelming final boss. Lastly, character customization is hilariously shallow, considering the effort put into the gun customization.

    I was going to give this game an 8/10, but the end game content as well as the disappointing Dark Zone pulled the score down to a low 7, lucky not to be a 6.    … Expand
  23. felasi
    Mar 21, 2016
    5
    To talk about the good first, the world is beautifully designed. New York City looks great and the attention to detail really shows. From the integrated seamless advertising that is found in the city to the way footprints are left on snow topped cars when u climb them. Right now thats out of the way, on to its issues which include gameplay, story, and multiplayer!

    Gameplay: One of    To talk about the good first, the world is beautifully designed. New York City looks great and the attention to detail really shows. From the integrated seamless advertising that is found in the city to the way footprints are left on snow topped cars when u climb them. Right now thats out of the way, on to its issues which include gameplay, story, and multiplayer!

    Gameplay:

    One of the most important factors of any game. The Division scores low here. First off, all what the game play involves here is hiding behind cover, advancing, and shooting a crap load of bullet sponge enemies which only seem to need more bullets to die when you level up. Yes get better weapons they say. This requires even more grinding of said bullet sponges, for weapons which look exactly the same as to the ones from when you are level 1. Only difference is there stats are better. Thats all good, but to keep me playing I wish there was more variety when it came to the weapons. It needs more than just some better damage numbers to make me play for the long term. Those better damage stats dont even seem to make much difference as you encounter more absorbant bullet sponges as you progress. The customisation and mods for weapons and armour has been executed nicely. But the crafting system just feels so below par when compared to alot of other games in the market, .i.e. Fallout 4s crafting anyone? As for the skills, I wish there were more of those then talents and perks which only give stat bonuses which are hard to notice. Example, one perk gives reduced incoming damage when you dash from cover to cover. I love the skills, like throwing a turret, or a rolley ball grenade because it adds so much in the way of tactics and dynamism to the game. Unfortunately there are only a few to choose from. As for armour and gear, yea there are subtle differences, but it all looks pretty much the same. Character customization is another flawed feature to this game. Only a few faces to choose from, and minor customization allowed to the way they look when. Other similar games have a ton in the way of customization from body size to the way a nose looks.

    As for the interface, when you first bring up options so much is thrown in your face its daunting. So many stats options may seem like a good idea, but the execution is poor here.

    Controls are OK, but awkward when in cover and getting flanked. As for cycling between the different grenades and special items (explosive bullets and canned food?) its a real challenge. Bringing up what you need fast is more difficult than it needs to be. Yes im an average player, but being a good player doesnt mean neccesarily mean your good because you can pull out a snack bar from your inventory fast enough to stop burning ( snack bars remove status effects like fire.....go figure).

    Another thing, the whole world feels empty. Nothing interesting happening other than finding some clues around town or crashed drones. You just walk across the city taking on one similar mob, only to pop around the corner to find another similar mob. Where is the immersion? There is a virus on the loose?

    Back to the bullet sponge enemies. There are three groups, rikers, cleaners and another group (thats how memorable it was). But they are all pretty much the same. They fight the same way, react the same, have same classes which arent that much different. Its all just the same. Even the bosses are basically the same. No real unique abilities just bullet sponges. If your going to play ths game at least do so with friends, to lighten the mood. People compared this game alot with destiny. They are both very different games, but I can see where some people may feel tempted to compare it. Thing is though, where destiny failed with story, it succeeded with solid FPS shooting and a decent multiplayer system. Finally, the side missions where fun at first. But all those encounters just became so tedious. How many supplies do I need to secure or missing persons do i need to find in a play through. Enough already! Take the standard set by the witcher 3 and shake up things!!

    Storyline

    Not much to say here other than the whole idea of cell agents being activated to restore order where an organized military and government fail to be rather far fetched. The whole atmosphere is someway cliche and cheesy. Always going back to the base of operations and being told what a hero I am feels like too much *** kissing. I mean just take it down a notch. As for the characters in the storyline. I cant remember one of them, and nothing seemed to matter in the end it was underwhelming, unmemorable, and all rather.."meh".

    Multiplayer

    First few hours were interesting, but in the end its just the grind for finding better. As for going rogue, the game doesnt want you to go rogue and punishment outweighs the rewards.

    Overall, average game which has a good world design, but fails to deliver in fundamental gaming areas.    … Expand
  24. Madgel
    Mar 21, 2016
    6
    Quite fun, yet disappointing.

    The game begins with a very basic character creation system, you can choose between a few different head shapes, skin colors, tattoos, scars etc. Nothing really fancy, and "Basic" is the key word here because everything in this game is just like your character's creation: basic. The missions to gain credits to develop your HQ are basically all the same    Quite fun, yet disappointing.

    The game begins with a very basic character creation system, you can choose between a few different head shapes, skin colors, tattoos, scars etc. Nothing really fancy, and "Basic" is the key word here because everything in this game is just like your character's creation: basic.

    The missions to gain credits to develop your HQ are basically all the same and there are a lot of them: Secure an area (understand: kill 50 mobs), Protect some supplies (understand: kill 50 mobs before they destroy the supply boxes) and Collect some stuffs and bring them back somewhere (understand: kill 50 mobs and spend 5 minutes walking with a heavy suitcase which slows you down drastically).

    The main and secondary missions are a bit more inspired, yet nothing to go crazy about. The game is heavily scripted (ie: the enemies behind huge glass doors on the top floor of a building won't move if you haven't cleared the lower floors first...) and the AI is pretty basic not to say stupid.
    The mobs are basically all the same with a few skin differences: The gangsta with a weapon (baseball bat or a shield + axe or gun), and the "cleaners" with a weapon (a flame thrower or a gun). The bosses are uninspired too (mostly a normal mob on steroid) and there is little difficulty defeating them.

    The weapons customization is pretty cool though, you have 6 mod slots on your weapons to improve them. That's very cool and they really affect your weapons stats. The talent tree is also interesting even if you will most likely use the same talents all the time.

    Unlike Destiny, you won't see any players in the PVE part of the game (except your team mates of course), and you will only see other players in some secure areas such as your HQ.
    The PVP zone (the Darkzone) is fun (except when being chain killed by a group of 4 rogue agents) and stressful. You never know if that guy who helped you for an hour will betray you when it will be time to extract your loots.

    Verdict: 6/10, that's not a bad game, but it's far from what I was expecting after watching the trailers.    … Expand
  25. TheLastOfReview
    Apr 28, 2016
    5
    This review is based on my experiences after playing the game daily since march and it's worth mentioning my review depends much on the end game, which in all fairness should be included in the summed up version of any review.

    In its current state The Division is not a solid game. It lacks most of the things I am looking for in a game, such as a story that's alive and gets you hooked up    This review is based on my experiences after playing the game daily since march and it's worth mentioning my review depends much on the end game, which in all fairness should be included in the summed up version of any review.

    In its current state The Division is not a solid game. It lacks most of the things I am looking for in a game, such as a story that's alive and gets you hooked up on "what is going to happen next" and "oh, that's some interesting turn around". I mean, the back story of the game is really intriguing but there's no actual follow up on the post apocalyptic, dystopian story in the game and you never really get any feeling of being in this chaos except from the fact that New York are all abandoned after the pandemic spred via dollar bills during black friday. (How many people actually pays with bills anymore?). According to the size of the map the dev's could've done so much more. Instead the game concentrates on Dark Zone, which is approximately 1/5 of the map. Everything outside is dead. There's no reason going around free roaming after you've done the side missions that don't reward you more than some new specs and perks from the Base of Operations. It also lacks interesting characters, such as rememberable enemies, allies and/or missions. Your own character is just like everybody else.

    The loot are not rewarding and nor is the crafting system. All of it reminds me of climbing a mountain that just grows larger and larger. Of all you manage to achieve there's always something new that you need to do before you get what you're looking for. Some gamers may like this type of gaming but most of the other RPG games out there are more rewarding. The Division is like a wank without any pay off.

    But the game has a lot of potential. I really enjoyed when I met some bosses walking around outside Dark Zone. More of that! Give the map outside Dark Zone some life. There's tons of interesting places and appartments, parking lots and construction sites where they can make something happen.

    And speaking of Dark Zone. I've heard much about the Dark Zone and mostly it's pretty negative things like the loot suck and there's a lot of griefing in there that go rogue on you etc. But when I look at Dark Zone it reminds me of the time when it was snow outside and you walked to school and you knew it will be a snowball fight on the football pitch during the breaks. Anyone entering the pitch knew about the rules. You get some and you loose some - you consent to the rules. Don't think you can go in and just mangle down anyone without reprisals. And if you get mangled down you don't go running to the teacher with tears in your eyes and pointing down the pitch and say there's a quartet of griefers that threw snow in your face. Take the Dark Zone for what it is. The loot could've been better though. For even with a Scavenging over a 100% there's only slim chances that you get rewarded with any decent loot.

    There's two types of gameplays I hate: anything where time is ticking down and the other one is waves. It's not very refreshing, it's not very pioneering and it's just boring. The new Incursion Falcon Lost are a wave based game mode and it's a challenge. The worst thing with this is that you only get rewards once a week. However you can collect two rewards after complete both the Hard mode and the Challenging mode.
    These modes have a recommended gear score level at 140 for Hard and 160 for Challenging. But after the first week gamers already glitched their way to top gear score even though they didn't complete the mission the regular way. This lead to heavy problems since the glitched out mega super players with high gear score tried to matchmake players with higher gear scores so they should have a chance of beating the level the normal way. So if you had a gear score of 150 you got kicked out. I can honestly say that the best players I've played with have had gear scores around 150 and not 210+. Luckily this issue have been fixed. But there's still too many issues of matchmaking in the game. I don't know how many times I experienced missions that don't load and you get to load another one, and another one, and another one.

    The game is broken in so many areas. PC gamers have serious issues with hackers and all of the platforms (Xbox, PS4 and PC) suffer from all the players that cheat through missions with all of the glitches. Massive and Ubisoft have however tried to sort things out, but there's only more glitches coming.
    I've been playing it daily since march 15 and now time has taking its toll. My final judgement regarding this game is that it is not a complete game in its current state. However, I hope that Massive and Ubisoft listens to the critics and make it better. More things to do outside Dark Zone, refine the loot and crafting system and makes sure to address the other issues regarding cheating players and hackers.

    Unfortunately this isn't the first time Ubisoft comes out with a so so game...    … Expand
  26. sampsonsimpson
    Mar 8, 2016
    5
    I've played a good 15 hours and I feel i'm ready to add my 2 cents in regards to this game.

    Pros: *Quality graphics. New York looks stunning on a good set. I have a 4k TV which makes stuff on the screen stand out. *Matchmaking. No longer like Destiny when starting campaign. You have the ability to look for up to 4 players to play with on a mission. *Hardly any loading. *Controls    I've played a good 15 hours and I feel i'm ready to add my 2 cents in regards to this game.

    Pros:
    *Quality graphics. New York looks stunning on a good set. I have a 4k TV which makes stuff on the screen stand out.
    *Matchmaking. No longer like Destiny when starting campaign. You have the ability to look for up to 4 players to play with on a mission.
    *Hardly any loading.
    *Controls are fluid for the most part.
    *Lots of weapons and mods.

    Cons
    *Graphics. Not as good as they once showed it in E3.
    *Online only. No offline mode.
    *Not a true MMO. Limited w/ 15 players in "virtual areas", can only co op w/ 4 players.
    *Bullet sponge. I don't care if you have teflon coated armor times 10 on your person, it doesn't take 30-40 bullets from an AR to kill said person, especially w/ headshots
    *bugs and glitches. There are many, trust me. There's a particular bug where you can grief someone from entering the safe house.
    *Verify Identity. Really?
    *26 missions. I'm almost done w/ the game.
    *Grindfest. You go to point A to point B, kill enemies, kill bosses, collect loot, repeat.

    I was left underwhelmed from what I originally saw. Maybe it was all the hype and I expected this game to be more than expected, but nope. This game is bland and quite honestly, I don't see myself playing it past this week. I'll end up selling it on craigslist or ebay. It's like I basically rented it for the week.    … Expand
  27. curtcleancut
    Mar 11, 2016
    5
    I'm not usually impulsive when I purchase a game for my PS4 This one was different. It came highly recommended from a friend and respected gamer. He played the beta and his description and hopes had me drooling. Aesthetically beautiful. RPG/MMO, challenging game play, full customization, a solid longer term development (3+ years in the making). Was the answer to Destiny? I hopedI'm not usually impulsive when I purchase a game for my PS4 This one was different. It came highly recommended from a friend and respected gamer. He played the beta and his description and hopes had me drooling. Aesthetically beautiful. RPG/MMO, challenging game play, full customization, a solid longer term development (3+ years in the making). Was the answer to Destiny? I hoped so.... I was sold.

    I went all in. I put a hundo down for the Gold Edition.

    The reality:

    Simply put, the game is absolutely beautiful to the eye. Character creation is limited in choice and customization. I read reviews before the release date that said this item would be expanded. If this happened, it was by much. Disappointed, but not a huge deal by any means. BUT this can be taken a step further in regards to acquired gear for appearance. I have certainly found my fair share, but everything seems to be a recolored version of another item. I went from a white jacket, to a grey jacket... later found a blue one. My guys looks just the other two team members. Oh wait, that one guy has a helmet. I can actually tell him apart! Hey buddy name is now "helmet". If we find another helmet, your name will be "blue helmet" tho because you'll look just like the other guy with a helmet.

    So that's a little frustrating. Not much variety there.... at all. UNLESS you purchase some stuff from the online UBI store.

    Weapons customization is admittedly cool. I think it's lacking on execution. Weapons have thus far run into the same issues in terms of visual variety. However, your instruments of destruction can be upgraded with a variety of accessories, so far the benefits haven't earth shattering but they do give show up visually when added to a weapon. Now here's my BUT. Weapons don't feel as individual as they do in Destiny or even Call of Duty. They pretty vanilla. by any means. This was something that Destiny nailed IMO. At this point, I feel like games should be out performing each other. Kinda feels like a step back in this regard. Also, their random benefits are nearly as cool as Destiny's. I get it tho, this is a separate game, "different game style" blah blah blah. Got it.

    Villains. Point blank. Boring as hell. It's a un-felt grind. No crazy maniacs that are losing their minds like in Boarder Lands. The head bosses are very anticlimactic and I hardly notice that I'm battling one until a few minutes into the fight. It usually clicks while I have my cross-hairs zoomed... holy crap, this guy looks a little different! No wonder its taking us 5 minutes to blast riddle him.

    The game play itself isn't intuitive, but that perfectly. It takes some getting used too. However, it's not fluid. You find some cover, shoot, and can bound by targeting another location and hold down on the x putting for a short moment. That "short moment" is my point of contention. When you want to scramble, it might not happen unless you have a premeditated plan. Again, this is a different game. Got it. Check.

    The rest of the issues I can easily dismiss as just another early bird release. It seems to happen with every game. Even the ones that have been in the planning for from 3 to 10 years). I clip through the ground for no reason, or trying to get into a group causes me to log out. Simple game crashes.... these things happen right? Can't hold it against Ubi.

    So I've had the game for three days and took a day off to put in some solid game play. The verdict? I'm bored. I can help thinking that I purchased a beefed up version of the MMO Defiance for PC. I hate to say it but Defiance may have held my attention for a little longer. Just a little.    … Expand
  28. DotaKaiju
    Mar 10, 2016
    6
    This game is fun. I'd be lieing if I said it wasnt. BUT the world feels lifeless. Im literally just running to point A to point B fighting a few AI's and doing a mission i felt like ive done before. I personally had more fun playing destiny but you may enjoy it. Im playing it right now and I can already see me putting this down in a few weeks if not sooner. I get DC's a lot and its gettingThis game is fun. I'd be lieing if I said it wasnt. BUT the world feels lifeless. Im literally just running to point A to point B fighting a few AI's and doing a mission i felt like ive done before. I personally had more fun playing destiny but you may enjoy it. Im playing it right now and I can already see me putting this down in a few weeks if not sooner. I get DC's a lot and its getting irritating. All in all a decent and fun game that will go back on the selves when Dark souls 3 comes out… Expand
  29. East76landS
    Mar 9, 2016
    6
    Firstly , I made this review after playing a single day on the game, so clearly this is a review based on limited access. Visually, It looks good, the world is richly detailed, and runs fairly smooth, not as smooth as the likes of MGSV, but it feels smooth enough, player movement is also pretty solid. As for the game itself, after an entire day playing it, I still do not really know how toFirstly , I made this review after playing a single day on the game, so clearly this is a review based on limited access. Visually, It looks good, the world is richly detailed, and runs fairly smooth, not as smooth as the likes of MGSV, but it feels smooth enough, player movement is also pretty solid. As for the game itself, after an entire day playing it, I still do not really know how to class it, it is a mishmash of different elements. It has fairly decent RPG elements, character building, skill trees, etc, it has fairly decent shooter mechanics, the actual gun play is ok, the computer A.I. is fairly decent, they team up, and flank, etc, nothing groundbreaking, the quests are pretty basic, go here, collect this, switch this, kill him/her, and here lies the problem, it's fairly decent at most things, but that is about it, It does not excel in any one area. One of the biggest problems was with the 'bullet sponge' effect you get when engaging an enemy with a higher skill level than yourself, I understand this is the nature of RPG gaming, but with the games setting, it feels alien, at one point it took three of us to bring down one npc, with me personally having to reload multiple times, it felt completely wrong considering the games realistic setting. Add to that some lackluster voice acting, forgettable characters, and it all just seems very average.....

    6/10    … Expand
  30. buu1la
    Mar 9, 2016
    5
    People who have bought this game want to justify their spent money and give it 9/10 and 10/10, and this game is gonna get 9/10s from all big gaming sites. BUT here is the truth - the game is incredible repetitive and generic, it offers absolutely nothing new to the table. Missions are all the same, generic enemies, lame AI, no variety in gameplay, horrible story, a borefest to play alonePeople who have bought this game want to justify their spent money and give it 9/10 and 10/10, and this game is gonna get 9/10s from all big gaming sites. BUT here is the truth - the game is incredible repetitive and generic, it offers absolutely nothing new to the table. Missions are all the same, generic enemies, lame AI, no variety in gameplay, horrible story, a borefest to play alone ... etc.

    IT IS NOT A BAD GAME, it is just painfully AVERAGE and deserves nothing more than a 5/10.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

66
#66 Best PS4 Game of 2016
5
#5 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2016
3
#3 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2016

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 63 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 50 out of 63
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 63
  3. Negative: 1 out of 63
  1. Playstation Official Magazine UK
    May 7, 2016
    80
    It won't win converts to the genre and the plot is problematic, but The Division is a handsome open-world offering, spiked with treachery. [May 2016, p.81]
  2. Edge Magazine
    May 1, 2016
    60
    That's the essential nature, and essential problem, of The Division's underlying structure. It's asking you to hunt gear with no tangible reward in terms of what you can do, how you do it, or what you look like doing it. [May 2016, p.108]
  3. DarkStation
    Apr 28, 2016
    60
    It builds a strong foundation on the gameplay front, offering up rewarding combat and simple skills, but doesn’t follow that with anything substantial, being content to let the standard end game grind and excellent-yet-stressful PVP try to cover all the questions its writing leaves you with.
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